


The Stars and The Moon and The Sea

by TacoCat2020



Category: Olympics RPF, Swimming RPF
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 12:33:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2812139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TacoCat2020/pseuds/TacoCat2020
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryan convinces a shy Michael to spend some time with him after the Athens games.  Michael finds an unexpected friend and maybe something more in Ryan.  (one-shot)</p><p>For the Tumblr FanFic Secret Santa</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Stars and The Moon and The Sea

**Author's Note:**

  * For [natyantunes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/natyantunes/gifts).



After the conclusion of the closing ceremonies in Athens, 19 year old Michael, climbed onto the bus to go back to the Olympic Village for the night.

He sat in a seat by himself at the back of the bus. He glanced out the window, and closed his eyes. He thought over the events of the past two weeks. He was proud of the things that he had accomplished, and was looking forward to doing some sightseeing around Athens before going back home.

“Heeeeeyyyy! Mike!”, the loud voice next to him disrupted his thoughts. “What’s up?”, Ryan asked him before he could answer.

“Oh…”, he said quietly, without looking up. “Hi, Ryan.”

Ryan sat down next to him and clamped a hand on his shoulder. Michael looked down at Ryan’s hand and blushed.

“What’s up, Mike?”, Ryan asked.

Michael shrugged. “Nothing”, he said quietly.

“What are you doing tonight?”, Ryan kept talking even though Michael hadn’t really responded to any of Ryan’s attempts to make conversation.

Michael shook his head. “Nothing”, he said. “I’m tired.”

“You should come out and celebrate tonight, Man!”, Ryan said. “Peter, Klete, and I are going to find a club and party it up!”

Michael shook his head again. “Nah…” he said. “Thanks, but…”

They arrived back at the village, and the bus dropped them off. Ryan ran off to meet his friends. Michael walked behind them. He wasn’t in the mood for going out. He wasn’t even sure if Ryan’s invitation was sincere. When he was younger, the popular boys used to invite him to parties, then when he showed up, there wouldn’t be a party. He was tired of being the butt of everyone’s jokes, and thought it would be best if he just stayed by himself in his room. The room that he was sharing with Ryan.

He went back to his room, put his backpack on his chair, and sat on his bed. He absentmindedly flipped through an Athens guidebook.

“Come on, Mike!”, Ryan pleaded. “Come with us!”

Michael shook his head. “No thanks”, he said. “It’s really nice of you to ask though.”

Peter and Klete came into the room. “You coming, Ry?”, Peter asked.

Ryan looked at them, then back at Michael. “You guys go ahead”, he said. “I’ll catch up later.”

Peter and Klete looked at Ryan questioningly. Then they looked at Michael and rolled their eyes. “Suit yourself”, Klete said with a shrug.

The two of them left the room and shut the door behind them. Ryan could hear them laughing and talking all the way down the hall. He wondered for a moment if he should have joined them, but he knew what he wanted to do instead.

“Why didn’t you want to go out with them?”, Michael asked quietly.

Ryan shrugged. “I’d rather hang out with you”, he said with a smile.

“Why?”, Michael asked.

Ryan smiled. “Because you’re cool”, he said.

“Cool?”, Michael asked. “Me?”

Ryan nodded. “Yeah, you”, he said. “Come on, MP. Let’s go. I heard from some of the Greek athletes that there’s a secluded beach down the way. I know you don’t really like to be around people, so it will just be us. Let’s go!”

Michael’s lips curled into an almost-smile. “Okay”, he said. “Yeah. Cool.”

Michael and Ryan walked towards the beach that Ryan had talked about.

“So, what do you do back home?”, Ryan asked.

Michael shrugged. “I pretty much just swim all the time”, he said. “I hang out with friends sometimes, but other than that… I swim.”

Ryan laughed. “Just keep swimming, huh?” he asked.

Michael nodded. “I guess”, he said.

“Why are you so quiet, dude?”, Ryan asked.

Michael shrugged again. “Just don’t have a lot to say, I guess”, he said.

At the age of nineteen, Michael had spent much of his life enduring teasing from his classmates. He had plenty of friends, but they were all people whom he had known for a long time, and could trust. While Ryan hadn’t given off any vibes that he was anything like the mean kids that Michael grew up with, he was still wary of befriending him. Trusting people had always been an issue for him.

“Here it is!”, Ryan’s cheerful voice broke the silence and disrupted Michael’s thoughts. Ryan led him towards a beautiful, secluded beach.

Michael’s eyes lit up. “It’s nice”, he said, awestruck, as he followed Ryan down to the water.

Ryan stripped down to his speedo and sprinted towards to water. “Come with me, MP!”, he called over his shoulder.

Michael shook his head. “I don’t have my suit!, he called back, setting down in the sand and taking in the sights around him. Athens was such a pretty city, and he was enjoying just looking around. It was a clear night, and Michael was admiring the full moon and the star-studded sky.

Ryan was waist deep in the water. Michael saw him reach down, and pull his hand back up. He was holding his speedo above his head and grinning wickedly.

Michael felt his face grow hot. He tried to look away. From his spot on the sand he could tell how good Ryan looked. He tried to hide his smile.

“Come on in, Mike!”, Ryan called, as he splashed around in the water. “The water’s great!”

Michael shook his head, still blushing.

“Miiiiiiike! Come on!”, Ryan called back, cheerfully.

Michael looked around to make sure that no one was watching him. He stripped off his clothes, and ran down the beach to join Ryan in the water.  
When Michael reached the spot where Ryan was standing, Ryan slung an arm over Michael’s shoulders. “See?”, Ryan said. “This is fun!”

Michael blushed and nodded. 

“Don’t be so afraid of me, Mike”, Ryan said with a smile, as he gently splashed some water on Michael.

Michael smiled and splashed some water back.

Pretty soon, they were laughing and shouting and splashing water back and forth on each other. Michael had never felt more comfortable with anyone else, and Ryan sensed that too.

“Hey”, Ryan said. “I’m going to kiss you, okay?”

“What?”, Michael asked, as Ryan wrapped his arm around Michael’s waist and leaned over and kissed him. They both smiled.

“This okay?”, Ryan asked. His arm was still wrapped around Michael’s waist, and his hand was curled at Michael’s hip.

All Michael could do was nod. Everything around him was spinning, and he couldn’t stop smiling.

 

***

Back at the Village the next day, neither one of them spoke of the events of the previous night, but they kept sneaking glances at each other and smiling.

Michael and Ryan sat together at breakfast. Peter came over and sat down. “Hey Ry”, he said. “Come hang out at the shops by the Acroplolis today. We’re going to buy some souvenirs!” He glanced over at Michael, who had suddenly become quiet again, and was busying himself with swirling his eggs around his plate. “you can bring him if you want”, Peter continued in a low voice, gesturing towards Michael.”

Ryan shook his head. “No thanks, Man”, he said. “I think I’m going to hang out with Mike today.”

Peter shrugged. “Okay”, he said, as he walked away.

Michael stared down at his plate. “You should go with them”, he mumbled through a mouthful of toast.

Ryan shook his head. “Nah”, he said. “I’d rather hang out with you. That cool?”  
Michael looked up at Ryan and smiled. “Okay” he said. “That would be great.”


End file.
